Friday is officially summer but people have been hitting the pool for a few weeks now. And as temperatures climb, kids and adults will be hitting the water in droves.

It’s wet, it’s fun and it’s potentially dangerous. An accidental drowning last week at an apartment complex swimming pool in Burlington was a scary reminder.

“Among children ages 1 to 4, most drownings occur in home swimming pools,” said Kelley Kimrey, health educator at the Alamance County Health Department and coordinator for Safe Kids Alamance County. She said each day 10 people die from unintentional drownings and of those, two are age 14 or younger.

Little things, like a fence separating the pool from the house and yard reduces a child’s risk of drowning by 83 percent. Safe Kids Worldwide also recommends taking the time to learn CPR, and passing the knowledge on to children.

Mary Wilson, aquatics director at the Alamance County Community YMCA, is also a member of Safe Kids. She teaches the American Red Cross lifeguard certification courses at the Y in Burlington.

While much of what Wilson teaches is specifically for lifeguards, several practices are beneficial for parents and adult supervisors to keep in mind when kids are in the pool. She said “patron surveillance” or keeping an attentive eye on those in and around the pool can help “spot an emergency before it happens.”

By noticing certain behaviors in a swimmer, adults can prevent a drowning. Hollering for help and splashing around is indicative of an “active drowning,” but more subtle signs like changed body position in the water, a tired look on the face or grabbing for a lane line for support could indicate a weakened swimmer.

“Sometimes they’re just distressed,” Wilson said.

She teaches her lifeguards to look at all levels of the water — not just the surface — to make sure a sinking person isn’t overlooked.

On that note, Wilson said, it’s important to “know your pool.”

Homeowners with pools should be aware of where any discolored tiles or stains in their pools are located, so they’re not mistaken for a body at the pool’s bottom, she said. They should also check pool equipment like ladders to prevent any other injuries.

She said the American Red Cross recommends one lifeguard for every 25 swimmers in a pool, and if there are a lot of younger or inexperienced swimmers, add more lifeguards.

Kimrey and Wilson also advise against the false sense of security found in pool toys that aren’t intended as life-saving flotation devices. Pool “noodles,” tubes, kickboards, and inflatable water wings shouldn’t be depended upon to keep a child, or adult, afloat.

“A lot of parents use those inflatable ‘water wings’ and tubes,” on children that can’t swim well on their own, Wilson said.

The inflatable armbands can easily slide off a child’s small arms, or puncture and deflate.

And pool safety isn’t just for parents or guardians of young children.

In fact, the person who accidentally drowned in the pool at The Brittany apartments on June 14 was a 26-year-old man. Wilson said the most important key in keeping adults safe in the pool is learning how to swim, and being comfortable around water.

Typically, those who don’t know how to swim haven’t learned because of a fear of water and, “When you’re afraid of the water, that makes you much more at risk,’ Wilson said. “You tense up,” which makes it harder to float.

Even strong adult swimmers shouldn’t overestimate their abilities and take a child out into deep water, Wilson said. Often, an adult becomes weary in the water and when a child begins clinging and clawing at the adult, both go under.

Wilson and Kimrey also warn about alcohol consumption near the water.

Kimrey cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and said among adolescents and adults, alcohol use is involved in up to 70 percent of deaths associated with water recreation.

“It influences the balance, coordination and judgment,” she said. “And the effects are heightened when they’re out in the sun.”

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The following places offer classes in swimming, life-saving, First-Aid or CPR.

Alamance County Health Department

Offers CPR and First Aid Certification courses. Classes for CPR only cost $37, and $47 for CPR and First Aid classes, taught at the department located at 319 N. Graham Hopedale Road, Burlington. To register for classes, call Kelley Kimrey at 336-570-6273.

Alamance Regional Medical Center

Offers free “Newborn Essentials” class, teaching safety tips and infant CPR (not for certification) during a two-session course, held the first and second Wednesdays of each month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the hospital’s Education Center on campus at 1240 Huffman Mill Road, Burlington. Register for the class online at www.armc.com/events-and-classes/ or call the hospital’s LiveWell Line at 336-586-4000.

David L. Maynard, Sr. Aquatic Center

Offers summer session group swim lessons, beginner and intermediate group lessons, parent-and-child classes for kids ages 6 months to 3 years, and private lessons. Group lessons cost $30 and private lessons are $45. Registration deadlines for Summer Session 2 is July 5, deadline for Summer Session 3 is July 26. Call 336-222-5043 or stop in the center at 1402 Overbrook Road, Burlington, to sign up.

Alamance County Community YMCA

Offers American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification courses, which include CPR, AED and First-Aid training. Courses are open to individuals age 15 and over, and the $200 session cost includes a Lifeguard Manual, Pocket Mask, First Aid Training Packet and Red Cross Certification Cards. Contact Mary Wilson at mwilson@acymca.org for information on the next lifeguard certification courses offered at the YMCA, located at 1346 S.Main St., Burlington.

American Red Cross

Offers online Family First Aid and CPR adult and pediatric courses (not for certification) that gives users unlimited access to the self-paced courses for two years. To register, visit www.RedCross.org/take-a-class/ and select “Family First Aid” in the class category drop-down list.